DVD and Blu-ray Releases for August 12th, 2014

August 11th, 2014

It's a slow and shallow week on the home market. Not only are there no prime releases, we quickly run into filler as we look down the list of best selling new releases on Amazon.com. The biggest release of the week is Muppets Most Wanted, which is one of nine reviews on this week's list. It is also the best release of the week and the best choice for Pick of the Week. Next week should be more interesting, as TV on DVD season begins.

Batman: Assault on Arkham - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
One of the best selling new releases of the week and it should be, as D.C.'s animation wing is amazing at putting out quality release after quality release. Extras include two featurettes, a preview for the next movie, and several episodes of various D.C. cartoon series.

Bears - Blu-ray Combo Pack - Buy from Amazon
The latest DisneyNature documentary did incredibly well with critics, but I'm not sure the studio is particularly happy with its box office numbers. Granted, $17.77 million is a lot of a documentary, but almost no documentaries open in nearly 2,000 theaters, so this is not a box office result worth bragging about. Extras include a quartet of featurettes and a music video. It is worth picking up for fans of nature documentaries.

Bitten: Complete First Season - Buy from Amazon
There are too many supernatural shows out there to deal with and this one's reviews are not strong enough to make it stand out.

The Blacklist: Season 1 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-rayJames Spader stars as a former FBI man who went rogue, but who returns to help the FBI catch the most dangerous criminals around. The reviews were excellent and the series was a big hit for NBC, a network that really needed a big hit. There are audio commentary tracks on three episodes, as well as a ton of short behind-the-scenes featurettes. It is definitely worth picking up.

Boredom - Buy from Amazon
A documentary about one of the most common human experiences ever: Boredom. Can the filmmaker turn a movie about boredom into something that is worth checking out? Read our review for my opinion.

Dancing in Jaffa - Buy from Amazon
A documentary about a dance class in Israel where Jews and Palestinian children dance together. The reviews are fantastic and fans of human interest documentaries should at least check it out, if not buy it.

Devo - Men Who Make The Music/Butch Devo & The Sundance Gig - Buy from Amazon
Two concert films featuring DEVO. If you are an old school fan of the band, then this is for you.

Elvis: That's the Way It Is - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
Normally this would be a release I would only include in the secondary Blu-ray releases category, but it is a slow week and we could all use some more Elvis in their lives.

Filth - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-rayJames McAvoy stars as a Scotland Yard cop, a very corrupt cop, who is looking to get a promotion and will do whatever it takes to get it. The reviews are good, but not great, while the extras are limited to a behind-the-scenes featurette. It is still worth checking out, but it is only worth picking up if you are a fan of the lead.

Frankie and Alice - Buy from Amazon
The film was shot in 2008 / 2009 but only got a token Oscar-qualifying release in 2010 before coming out in theaters earlier this year. It earned terrible reviews and disappeared quickly. Maybe if you really like Halle Berry, it is worth a rental, but that's it.

Gunsmoke: Season - Buy from Amazon: Volume One and Volume Two
Great show, but it is so expensive to buy.

Hercules - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
When this film came out, Disney animation studio was losing its shine and this film underperformed at the box office. Did it under-perform because of its quality? And is the Blu-ray worth the price? Check out our review for my opinion.

Locke - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This movie almost sounds like a dare, like someone said, "I dare you to make a movie set in a car where the lead actor talks to people on the phone the whole time." Were the filmmakers able to turn that setup into an engaging film? Read our review to find out.

Looney Tunes: The Platinum Collection 3 - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
Chronological collections. I want chronological collections and won't spend another dime on these till we get some.

The Marx Brothers TV Collection - Buy from Amazon
A three-disc, ten-hour long box set of some TV rarities from The Marx Brothers. If you are a fan of the comedy troupe, then this is must have. If you've never seen anything they've done, it's an introductory course.

Power Rangers Megaforce: A Battle to the Finish - Buy from Amazon
I'm still waiting for the screener for this TV show to show up. This is one of the best installments in the long-running franchise, so I'm looking forward to seeing it.

The Railway Man - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This film feels like busted Oscar-bait. The reviews were good and the film made more than $4 million in limited release, but considering the subject matter and the cast, I would have thought it would have been released during Awards Season. The only extras are an audio commentary track and a making of featurette. Even so, it is a solid rental / lean purchase.

Tarzan - Blu-ray Combo Pack - Buy from Amazon
This film was the last 2D animated film from Disney to open in first place and the last of their 2D films to be a box office hit. Is it also a critical hit? Check out our review to find out.

Toy Story of Terror - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
I misfiled this Blu-ray and accidentally reviewed it a week early. What is it like? And is the Blu-ray worth picking up? And isn't is too early for Halloween? The answer to that last question is yes. As for the other two, read our review to find out.

Turtle Power: Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Buy from Amazon
A documentary on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, which has been around for roughly 20 years now, and given the weekend box office results, it is still going strong. It is also part of this week's box office prediction contest.

Young Justice: The Complete First Season - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
A good show, but it only lasted two seasons on TV. The first comes out on Blu-ray this week and I assume the second will follow shortly.